MLB Player News

Calhoun (knee) has taken multiple batting practice sessions and is close to facing live pitching in a simulated game, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.

Manager Torey Lovullo said Calhoun could stand in the batter's box, take a normal at-bat, and strike the baseball but not run. The veteran outfielder is expected to open the season on the injured list. In the meantime, the Diamondbacks are auditioning several players to replace Calhoun in right field, including Tim Locastro, Pavin Smith, Trayce Thompson and Daulton Varsho.

Through 11 Grapefruit League games, Freeman has gone 3-for-23 with three singles and a 6:7 BB:K.

Freeman's 24.1 percent strikeout rate so far this spring is well above his marks from any of the past four seasons, but at this point, the sample is probably too small for fantasy managers to alter expectations for him as Opening Day approaches. The 31-year-old overcame a bout with COVID-19 last summer to take home MVP honors in 2020, so he's probably deserving of some benefit of the doubt for his lackluster start to the spring. Projected to hit third in an Atlanta lineup teeming with talent, Freeman looks to be a fairly safe foundational pick in the first two rounds of fantasy drafts.

Olson is hitting .406 (13-for-32) with four doubles, five home runs, 14 RBI, a walk and eight runs over 12 Cactus League games.

The slugging first baseman pushed his average over the .400 mark with a 3-for-4 day at the expense of the Angels on Saturday that featured a two-run blast which Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports took out a palm tree considerably beyond the scoreboard in right-center field. The heavy offseason work he put in with hitting coach Darren Bush after mustering just a .195 average in 2020 seems to be paying dividends, with Olson remarking "I've gotten to a couple of pitches early that I wasn't handling well last year" after Saturday's game.

Votto (COVID-19) has returned to the Reds training camp in Arizona, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.

Votto has less than two weeks to ramp back up and be ready for Opening Day. According to Mark Sheldon of MLB.com, the 37-year-old officially remains on the COVID-19 injured list, but he can still appear in spring games before being activated. The Reds have used a wide variety of players at first base in Votto's absence, including Kyle Farmer, Cheslor Cuthbert and Alex Blandino.

Bell is slashing .367/.457/.900 through 30 Grapefruit League at-bats with a team-high four home runs and a 5:7 BB:K.

He's also added four doubles, and he's catching fire as Opening Day approaches, going yard in each of his last three games. Bell had a disappointing final year in Pittsburgh, but if he can return to his 2019 form in his first campaign with Washington, he could take a run at the 116 RBI he recorded that season with Trea Turner (career .353 OBP) and Juan Soto (career .415 OBP) ahead of him in the batting order.

Smith (wrist) will bat third and play left field Sunday against the Nationals.

Smith had been out of action since being scratched Wednesday due to wrist soreness. The issue never appeared to be particularly serious, however, and he still has plenty of time to get up to game speed by Opening Day.

Lowe went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI in Saturday's spring game against Seattle.

Lowe entered Saturday's game batting just .160 this spring, which has opened the door to Ronald Guzman usurping the starting first-base job that was seen as Lowe's to lose when spring training started. Texas manager Chris Woodward still believes in Lowe, telling Kennedi Landry of MLB.com he has confidence in him. "I know he hasn't had a ton of results, but it's just the way this guy works and carries himself. I felt it was kind of a matter of time," Woodward said. "It's nice to see him get some results today." As for Guzman, he launched his third spring home run Friday and has a 1.203 OPS compared to Lowe's .687.

Cron's contract was selected by the Rockies on Saturday.

Cron joined the Rockies on merely a minor-league deal this winter, but he always seemed likely to win the starting job at first base given the team's uninspiring alternatives. He needed to prove his health following August knee surgery, and he's done that this spring, hitting .324/.343/.618 through 12 games. Cron has averaged 27.4 homers per 600 plate appearances thus far in his career and could certainly surpass that mark this season with an everyday role in the league's most hitter-friendly park.

Smith (wrist) will start in left field during Sunday's spring game against the Nationals, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News reports.

Smith took at-bats during Saturday's simulated game, and he'll be able to play left field against Washington on Sunday. It's unlikely that Smith's brief absence will impact his availability for Opening Day.

Smith (wrist) took at-bats during Saturday's simulated game, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.

Smith took batting practice Friday and was able to progress to a sim game Saturday. The 25-year-old has been slowed by right wrist soreness since Wednesday but hasn't been too concerned about the issue and could return to the Grapefruit League lineup as early as Sunday.